Why bringing Islamic culture to London has a powerful business case

Liam Ward-Proud is deputy business features editor at City A.M. He can be contacted at liam.ward-proud@cityam.com.

Liam Ward-Proud

WHILE the serious business of growth and economics will be top of Forum delegates’ minds today, from tomorrow a free festival of the creative industries will showcase how culture, art, and creativity can play a crucial role in economic empowerment.

The Marketplace of Creative Arts festival (MOCAfest), running tomorrow and Thursday from 10am to 10pm, will feature 39 musicians, artists and poets – from both within and outside the Islamic world – with the intention of displaying their talents and developing their economic potential.

“MOCAfest continues to open new doors to emerging artists who would otherwise not have the chance to showcase on an international stage,” says Fazil Irwan Som, head of the World Islamic Economic Forum’s Young Leaders Network.

This year’s artists include: Ahmed Krausen, a photographer based in Copenhagen, who specialises in the study and documentation of Islamic architecture in Europe; Sukina Douglas, described as a forerunner in the UK’s Muslim hip-hop scene; and Jamal Raslan, an established trilingual poet from Malaysia.

MOCAfest is also running a range of workshops to help artists forge successful careers in the creative industry. Sessions will include creative business development, financial planning, and training in digital media.

Further, an independent film festival will screen an array of international projects touching on some of the key topics at this year’s Forum.

For more information on this free event, visit www.9thwief.org/mocafest